Today, nearshoring is not only about cutting costs but also about expanding capabilities. By leveraging talent-rich nearby markets, companies can scale development capacity, accelerate delivery, and sustain momentum during periods of rapid change.
Just as important, nearshoring provides internal teams with the space to focus on high-value initiatives, such as innovation, transformation, and long-term growth.
This article explores how a proactive nearshoring strategy, designed with the right destination, team structure, and governance, can help organizations future-proof operations and unlock new performance levels.
Nearshoring offers companies more than cost savings and workforce scalability. It can be a source of strategic advantages:
Reduced operational overhead
Enhanced access to new digital capabilities
Lower complexity compared to offshoring
Flexibility to scale based on business demand
Greater resilience against macroeconomic uncertainty
Prioritization of local resources for high-value functions
Destination deep dive: Poland
Nearshoring to Eastern European markets can reduce IT labor costs by 40 to 70 percent compared to Scandinavian markets, with predictable pricing models that support long-term planning1. It also helps alleviate urgent skill gaps without compromising project velocity or delivery standards.
In particular, Poland has become a powerhouse of knowledge and expertise. The country’s position as a regional logistics hub, with strong infrastructure, transparent governance, and an increasingly digital economy, makes it a preferred nearshoring destination. Danish companies, for example, have increasingly tapped into this highly qualified workforce, benefiting from a labor market rich in IT expertise, business process outsourcing (BPO), shared services (SSC), and R&D talent.
Today, Polish managers frequently lead operations, making integration between local and nearshore teams smoother than ever2. With approximately 400,000 software engineers and nearly 60,000 IT companies, Poland also ranks third globally in programming skills and first in Java, making it a top destination for scalable, advanced development work1.
Continuing the Danish example, the business case is well-established, with €6 billion in Danish investments and over 750 Danish companies operating locally, employing more than 75,000 people in Poland2. These firms are not only driving innovation in IT and R&D but also contributing to fast-growing sectors like renewable energy, defence, medical technology, and advanced manufacturing. Examples include companies like Demant, Falck, and DSV, which have built key R&D hubs in Poland. Poland’s openness to change and strong institutional ties with Denmark, including EU and NATO partnerships, create a stable foundation for nearshoring success. This also helps ensure that operations follow a reliable legal framework, guided by common EU directives like GDPR, the European Data Act, and the AI Act.
Mixing onshore and nearshore teams
Blended teams, which combine onshore and nearshore resources, are central to establishing an efficient and scalable setup. These teams enable businesses to scale faster, access niche skills in emerging technologies, and maintain operational continuity across geographies.
Collaborative in their nature, the success of blended setups hinges on the ability to integrate nearshore resources in existing teams and business functions. Especially when organizations are new to working together remotely or when company culture is central to the product, leveraging dedicated local resources for integration is a practical first step. This model helps businesses build trust and consistency while scaling with confidence. It allows internal teams to test distributed cooperation within a controlled structure, often starting with a single function or project, before expanding the model more broadly.
Use cases span short-term project delivery, freeing up local resources and supporting long-term digital transformation initiatives. For example, a Nordic company with a deeply collaborative engineering culture may begin with a cross-functional pilot squad in Poland, co-designed with 7N to match technical, linguistic, and cultural needs. Over time, as trust builds and communication routines become second nature, the model can expand to full-scale product teams.
CASE EXAMPLE
Deltek: Modernizing a Platform for Enterprise Growth
Deltek, a global software provider, partnered with 7N to strengthen its development teams and modernize its newly acquired platform, Workbook. Originally built for SMEs, the system’s outdated architecture and lack of scalability limited its ability to support larger enterprise clients. 7N embedded 13 experienced nearshore consultants across development, architecture, QA, and project management to accelerate delivery and improve platform stability.
Key results:
- Enhanced scalability and Azure cloud utilization
- Strengthened development capacity
- Drove cross-functional collaboration and introduced agile practices
- Improved product quality through automated testing
- Ongoing collaboration with 7N as a strategic nearshore partner
“Customer ratings for Workbook rose significantly after 7N consultants joined the team,” according to Deltek’s CTO.
For nearshoring to deliver long-term value, the setup matters. Success hinges on:
- Selecting the right destination through robust market intelligence
- Leveraging local networks to ensure a strong talent pipeline
- Establishing governance models for delivery and communication
- Ensuring cultural alignment and leadership support
7N helps clients overcome common barriers such as:
Managing distributed teams
Guidance on team integration, collaboration models, local conditions, and knowledge transfer strategies based on 20 years of nearshoring.
Access to qualified consultants
Strong brand presence and an extensive established network in destinations such as Poland.
Cultural resistance:
Smooth onboarding and ongoing engagement through upskilling, collaboration best practices, and trusted local consultants.
Changing needs:
Partnerships structured to support long-term flexibility, including transition paths to captive models where appropriate.
Social proof:
Clients can connect with peers who have successfully implemented similar models, offering reassurance and insight.
Is your organization ready for nearshoring?
Too often, companies wait until they are under pressure to explore new delivery models. But the most successful nearshoring strategies are implemented before urgency sets in.
If any of the following sound familiar, your organization may be ready to explore nearshoring:
- Projects are delayed due to limited internal bandwidth
- Growth opportunities are missed because of talent shortages
- High-value employees are overburdened with repeatable or tactical work
- You need to scale senior specialists quickly for a transformation effort
Nearshoring is not about handing off problems. It is about accelerating your ability to grow and adapt. Organizations that succeed invest in the process, engage actively with their partners, and view nearshoring as a long-term solution, not a short-term fix. Successful engagements are built on mutual trust, clear expectations, and shared accountability.
7N supports clients with a structured ramp-up framework that includes a simplified decision matrix based on project goals, team maturity, and long-term business strategy.
Nearshoring is more than a tactical decision. Done right, it unlocks innovation, enables workforce scalability, and drives organizational agility. It creates a resilient operational model that safeguards internal teams, strengthens delivery capacity, and supports long-term competitiveness.
In an era defined by digital acceleration and scarce IT talent, nearshoring is no longer a tactical fix. It is a strategic foundation for sustained innovation and operational agility.
Sources:
- Brainhub: Nearshoring to Eastern Europe - 5 Top Locations (2025)
- Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce: SSPC Annual Report (2024)
Cases & Insights
Learn from our experience and insights working on nearshoring projects with clients across industries.
